


Runaway

by Infinite_Riches



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 10:43:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20226544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Infinite_Riches/pseuds/Infinite_Riches
Summary: He had spent the past five years running. Running from who he was, who he had become, and all that he had done.





	Runaway

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Homophobic Language 
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!
> 
> Want to find me on tumblr? Here you go: http://infinite-riches.tumblr.com/

When he spotted the boy with the short tousled brunette hair he couldn’t resist. No more running- it was time to own up to who he was. He fixed his shirt collar and tucked a stray curl back into place as he strutted across the dance floor to the bar. The brunette was using his elbow to prop himself up as he ordered from the overworked bartender. As he got closer he could clearly see the business attire that the brunette was wearing. A nice black suit with no tie and the collar undone- someone had obviously just finished a stressful day at the office.

“So what is a pretty boy like you doing in a place like this?” The brunette nearly choked on his drink.

“Billy?”

William’s heart stopped. At first, he didn’t recognize the man in front of him, but now… Now it had all come back to him. The boy he had beat up senior year was sitting in front of him… in a gay bar… in Chicago… five years after _that summer_.

“I uh… It’s William now,“ he explained, stepping up to the bar next to Steve.

“William?” Steve seemed to be testing out the name, like dipping your toes into the pool to check the temperature. “It’s different... nice.”

“What are you doing in Chicago? I figured you would be working for your dad?”

“I am actually- business trip,” Steve hesitated before questioning William. “Where have you been?”

“I needed some space, after that summer it seemed like the best idea,” William shifted his weight from one foot to the other and looked around the bar for something other than Steve to look at.

“No explanation or note? Max was worried for weeks on end until you called her.”

William shrugged and turned his gaze to his drink. “I figured nobody in Hawkins would care about what happened to me after all I did, all the damage I caused.”

“Bill- William you didn’t have to disappear like that.”

“Didn’t I? I killed people, I tore lives apart, I nearly brought on the end of the world. I’m pretty sure most people in Hawkins could care less if I were alive or dead- even if they didn’t know all that I did.”

“William I… What do you say we find somewhere quieter?”

After both boys ordered another drink they scouted out a small booth in the corner of the bar.

“Where did you go, after the 4th?”

“I ran. I started in Indianapolis, then Columbus, after that it was Cleveland and Detroit, and now I’m here- I couldn’t face what I had done and staying in one place for too long made life feel slow,” William took a sip of his drink before considering his next question. “Why do you care? The last time we talked was when I threw a plate at your head at the Byers’ place. If I remember correctly your face was messed up for weeks.” There was silence from Steve for a few moments.

“We never really made amends did we?”

“I don’t know what you could have possibly done to warrant an apology, Steve.”

“I did get a few punches in, you know?”

“It definitely doesn’t compare to all that I’ve done, I was a terrible person back then.” It was silent for a while after that, each boy was weighing their options.

“Max told us… after you disappeared. She told us about Neil.”

“How is she?” William swirled the glass, watching the caramel liquid catch the light.

“She’s good, she graduated at the top of her class this past year. She’s going to Ball State in the fall.”

“She was always a smart kid…”

“So were you,” William’s eyes met Steve’s. “I saw the grades you would get on Mrs. Smith’s English papers. And in Johnson’s history class? You blew me out the water.”

“You didn’t give yourself enough credit…” They sat in silence for a while, and after some time passed William ordered another round of drinks.

“Why didn’t you ever say anything about your father?” William leveled his shoulders and brushed his hair out of his eyes at the mention of Neil.

“The same reason I never said anything about liking boys, it would cause too much trouble, but I guess the same went for you then huh?” Steve straightened up at the mention of William liking boys. “But I guess you couldn’t- a big fancy house, parents that had your whole life planned out? That would have put quite the wrinkle in the plans.”

“I didn’t know…” Steve's voice was soft. “I went to college after you left, Robin helped me get in. There was a boy in one of my classes…”

“You fell in love?” William couldn’t believe he was hearing Steve Harrington admit to loving a boy.

“Yeah… in the end, he didn’t feel the same. What about you?” William froze for a moment- his glass, almost empty, sat at his lips for a few seconds before he finished the drink.

“I’m gonna step outside for a smoke, care to join?” William was deflecting. That and he didn’t want anyone besides Steve to hear his high school sob story.

“Sure man.”

They stepped through the back door and William pulled out a pack of Marlboro Reds and his Zippo, removing two cigarettes from the carton and passing one to Steve. Steve placed the cigarette between his lips and William reached up to light Steve’s cigarette, using his other hand to block the wind. He lit his in the same fashion as the Winter air whipped down the alley causing his curls to blow into his face. They stood there, leaning against the brick wall as they silently smoked their cigarettes.

“When I lived in Cali, there was a guy at my school…” William was quiet, the sound of the music from inside the bar threatening to drown him out. “We went out surfing one afternoon and after sunset, we were under the pier… he kissed me. Sure I had kissed girls but-“

“They just didn’t compare… right?”

“Exactly. We managed to keep it up for a while, but then I guess someone spotted us and told Neil. When I got home that day- I’ll never forget it. He was fuming. Screaming about how no son of his was ever gonna be a fag and how I was a useless piece of shit. I've still got the scars from where he threw me into a mirror.”

“That’s why you guys came to Hawkins…”

“Neil requested a transfer at his job and we landed in Hawkins.” William hadn’t noticed but small tears had started to roll down his cheeks. He quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand.

“Have you found anyone else?”

“There was this one guy a couple of years ago…”

“Oh yeah? What happened?”

William took a sharp drag of his cigarette before explaining the situation. “I left before I got the chance to tell him how I felt.”

“What’s stopping you from going back?”

“I’m pretty sure that even if I tried to explain why I did what I did he wouldn’t want to be with me. Even if I apologized for every single mistake or misstep I’m sure he’d still manage to find red in my ledger.”

“If you love him that much then isn’t worth the risk?”

“That’s just the thing, I don’t think the risk outweighs the reward in this situation,” William dropped his cigarette to the ground, using the heel of his boot to put it out.

“How can you say that? You love him!”

William had resorted to opening and closing his Zippo to distract him from the gravity of the conversation. “I would rather live not knowing, than live knowing that he hated me for all the trouble I had caused in his life.”

“This must be one special guy if you would rather go on not knowing how he felt instead of taking a chance-”

In a flash, William’s hands had reached up to grasp Steve’s face. He kissed him, gently at first, then rougher, with the fervor of a man who had waited his whole life for this one moment. His fingers tangled in Steve’s hair gently pulling the soft chocolate locks. Steve tasted like bourbon and mint and his lips were soft and full. William’s lips were chapped from the winter weather, but he tasted of whiskey and oranges. In the moment Steve’s hands found their way to William’s waist and his cigarette laid forgotten on the pavement. They finally separated, catching their breath.

“William…”

William could feel it coming, the heartbreak building in the space that separated them. “If you don’t feel the same I understand…”

Steve’s lifted William’s face so they were looking in each other’s eyes. “Ever since I kissed that boy in college I’ve been wondering what it would be like to kiss you. But you had disappeared and I thought that even if I were to find you again that it would never happen. Because you could have anyone, and if you could have anyone then why would you want me?”

“Because you are the prettiest boy I’ve ever laid eyes on.” And in no time William’s fingers were tangled in Steve’s hair and Steve’s arms were wrapped around William’s waist as the cold Chicago wind blew past them. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back after 8 months! I know it's not much but I hope you enjoyed it! <3
> 
> Feedback is greatly appreciated!
> 
> Want to find me on tumblr? Here you go: http://infinite-riches.tumblr.com/


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